The His Vile Sanctum mission in Borderlands 4 is one of the most intense story quests, but it’s also where many players run into a frustrating issue. If you fast travel or exit the game at the wrong point, you may find yourself locked out of Vile Lictor’s Fortress and unable to progress. Thankfully, this soft-lock doesn’t mean your save is ruined—there’s a reliable way to fix it and continue the mission.
Why the Glitch Happens
The glitch usually appears after you’ve completed the Power Substation segment with Bruce, where you escort him to destroy the limiters. At the end of this sequence, you huddle with Bruce and are teleported into a cave that leads toward the Umbral Foundry.
If you fast travel away or quit the game before loading into the Foundry, the mission marker may disappear, leaving you stranded outside the fortress with no clear way back in.
How to Fix the His Vile Sanctum Glitch
The good news is you don’t need to restart the mission. Here’s the exact method to re-enter the fortress and continue your progress:
1. Return to Substation Canonary
- Head back to the Substation Canonary in Stoneblood Forest.
- This is the same power substation you cleared earlier with Bruce during the limiter sequence.
2. Retrace the Path You Took with Bruce
- Enter the substation and move through the familiar corridors.
- Follow the route Bruce originally smashed open for you—this leads back to the chamber with the energy spike.
3. Stand at the Teleport Spot
- In the chamber where you first huddled with Bruce, position yourself at the same spot.
- Doing so re-triggers the teleport to the cave in The Low Leys.
4. Navigate the Phase Rifts
- From the cave, continue moving forward until you find the Phase Rift.
- Grapple into it, then repeat the process for the next two rifts.
- After the third rift, you’ll once again arrive at the gates of Vile Lictor’s Fortress.
Resuming the Mission
Once you’re back inside, the mission resumes normally:
- Collect Bruce’s Control Core and slot it into the engineering bay console.
- Use Bruce Bombs to break purple barriers and destroy shielded cores at the fortress gates.
- Push forward into the Umbral Foundry, where the story leads into the Vile Twins battle and ultimately the Vile Lictor boss fight.
From this point onward, fast travel will no longer lock you out since a Fast Travel station becomes available inside the Umbral Foundry.
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Quick Tips Before Facing Vile Lictor
- Elemental Loadout: Bring corrosive weapons for armored enemies and shock weapons to tear down shields quickly.
- Stay Mobile: Vile Lictor unleashes waves of projectiles and arena-wide blasts. Grapple points and glide mechanics are key to survival.
- Use Bruce Bombs Wisely: Always clear enemies before carrying one—taking a hit while holding it can make it vanish.
Getting locked out of His Vile Sanctum can be frustrating, but the fix is simple: return to Substation Canonary and retrace your steps through the Phase Rifts. Once you’re back at the fortress gates, the mission continues seamlessly, allowing you to finish the fight against Vile Lictor and claim your rewards. Play Now!
